The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-12

PhdeiC tudt SiHCo Uuo INSTITUTION OF Ou(
, Fellowship, there is no organization NOR
loyal to its followers, more beneficial t,
the heirs of its deceased members, NOR,
upright in its machinery or more accurat,
in its locomotion.
Friends, let us recapitulate. We fni
from the report of the B. NJ. c., which
convened at Philadelphia, October 7th
1856, that for the then past two years tt
date the amount paid to sick S39, 142,61
{ amount paid for funerals, $22,145,65
amount to, widows, $S,21O,25.; amount
paid for charity, IS, 126, 60 making a
} grand total of $74 1925, 01. AS result OF
which can any one say with clear head
and heart that this is not specimen OF
philanthropy, an act of generosity, Pre-.
ceedlnlgs OF men who labor to help each
other in time of needP Not one. / make
the statement and fearless of successful
contradiction that Odd Fellowship is more
widespread than any other similar inst-
tuition on the face of our terrestrial do
main, Odd Fellowship since its birth has
been known to live in conformity with
the christian church. It may be seen
that the workings of Odd Fellowship as
laid down by our fathers, and practiced
by us to-day, go hand in hand in teaching
| ",
man of talent and poet of 1888, penned
the first song sung by the Odd Fellows
aud show to mo apoem which conveys to
the mind more solemnity, moro purity,
more love. No doubt the muse of that
man was stirred when he wrote the lines:
| "When friendship, love and truth abound,
Among band Of brothers,
The cup ofjoy goes gayly round,
| Each shares the bliss Of Others;
Sweet roses grace the thoronghway
Along the vale of sorrow,
The flowers that she'd their leaves to-day
Snail bloom again tomorrow.
How grand in age, how fair in youth
Are holy friendship, love and truth"
Can one imagine the sweetness couched
IN those lines; can member of the out
side world say that they reflect no credit
Still Montgomery, so well pleased with
them, further said:
ION ilalcyon wings our moments pass
Llfe's cruel cares beguiling,
va time lays down his scythe and glass
In gay, good humor smiling;
With ermine beard and forelock gray.
Ills reverend front adjoining
He looks like Winter turned to Nav.
Night softens into morning.;
How grand in age, how fair in youth
Are holy friendship, love and truth"
Ancient archives tell us, though Odd
Fellowship at that date had not reached
the stage of perfection, still in their last
stanza they sang with emotion:
From the delightful fountains flow
Ambrosial riils of pleasure
Gan man desire, can heaven bcstow
a 1n~~x
Adorned with gems so richly bright
We'd form constellation,
Where every star, with modest light
Shall gild his proper station;
How grand in age, how fair in youth
Are holy friendship, love and truth"
Brothers, appeal to you-let this thr !
linked chain ever bind our hearts. purpo-
ses and lives as Odd Fellows. Let us
practice friendship, let us practice love.
let us practice truth! Beware, say t
those who practice SANDER Of Secret
Orders. Some men do say, for the
mere sake of argument and prejudice
that Secret Societies are llumbugs, and
for the benefit of those so disposed to
talk, let me say to them that such
statements are classed as what is
known as Imperfect Induction.
A wise man never says that because
one man is fraud or Lumbug, that
the whole mass of humanity are classed I
therein-and many men have / know,
who have maintained the degrading
habit of slandering Secret Orders-in
their poverty stricken predicament
thought of their approaching death
and prayed-would to God that they
could sing within the enameled walls
Of secrecy, "Bless he the tie that binds"
The labyrinth of Odd Fellowship as
known, is unexcelled.
Well wishers, constituents, ncutrats!
Has this world become SO even at this
late day, when gossip and Islander
have ceased to exist? Let me answer
for you, No! Then knowing that, we
have set onr sails against the gale of
alarm, and proclaim tacitly 10 the
world, bushels of satisfaction and bar
rels of success. With all the rumors
made tending to the degrading of Odd
Fellows may be said, that Odd Eel
|owship is like ignited phosphorus, the
more water is thrown on 1.-THE brighter
t burns. She is also asbestos in her /
;omposition-the flames of calcium.
he heat of ignited alcohol not char
Ter cities.
Long, Ia; long gn nsy my heart Nth such memo
like the Eases in phich roses hare once been
lou may break, yoa may shatter the rase if
you tci1,
But the scent Of the fooers eiu 1inyer there
Now, in conclusion friends, let me
id: when gloom overshadows your
lone, when poverty flashes like Z
ongues of flame in your face, and it is
ound impossible to keep death at bav,
hen if your name is not recorded on
he rol! Of some benevolent order, YOU
aust sink, go down as a pauper, and
% buried as a slave, and when Luna \
Ises for her last time in your sight !
'om behind her eastern horizon, passes
radually through her celestial orbit.
lowly casts her shining rays on this :
ar earthly standpoint = sweeps the [
~. penetrates the golden gates of
california, straight forward to hold :,